Out of the 100 books I've read so far this year, these are the very best
4.5⭐
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
The person who told me this was like reading a Dramione AU was bang on. This book is cheeky, whimsical, and gah do I adore both Wendell and the autistic-coded Emily.
The Foxglove King
Atmosphere and vibes are arguably what Whitten does best, but I also loved the sardonic protagonist and her messy will-they-or-won’t-they love triangle drenched in death magic.
A Fire Endless
Steeped in Scottish lore, this beautifully written, cohesive duology features a unique magic system without ever forgetting that the point of all of it is human connection.
Be sure to pick up book one first, A River Enchanted.
A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
The beating heart of this story is, aptly, the slow-burn queer romance. This an impactful novel filled with characters who stick with you in the best way.
Silver Under Nightfall
If some days you’d choose the grump, and other days you’d choose the sunshine, I have good news for you: In this, you get to have both because it’s a triad between two vampires and a vampire hunter.
The Folk of the Air Trilogy
The writing style is crisp, the cast is impressively well-defined right from book one, and the political machinations are everything.
And FYI, new collectors editions are being released, which you can pre-order here.
Icebreaker
Cute and spicy, this one has a big, diverse cast. Could it have been a bit shorter and the pacing more even? Yeah. But if you listen to the audiobook, much of that naturally gets smoothed out. There’s a very good reason it blew up!
Happy Place
I don’t just want beautiful writing and emotional angst in the books I pick up, I need it. If you saw me walking my dog in the rain and sobbing while listening to this… no you didn’t.
4.75⭐
Fourth Wing
Unputdownable even though the plot is predictable. This book is massively entertaining and it managed to make me cry. If that’s not magic, I don’t know what is.
FYI: Pictured below is my paperback Advanced Reader Copy. The gorgeous hardcovers are what’s available for purchase. And yes, I am buying one for myself lol. Don’t ask me how many doubles I own of books I love because the answer is A LOT.
Forget Me Not
The book equivalent of that happy, bubbly feeling you get after drinking a glass of Prosecco. I was squealing and kicking my feet. Elliot “I hate everyone but her” Bloom sets the new grumpy-simp standard.
It comes out on July 6th in the UK and July 11th in the US; both are available for preorder.
5⭐
The Bear and the Nightingale
Unforgettable characters in a winter atmosphere so immersive you’ll forget where you are in real life.
Divine Rivals
If tension was an instrument, this author plays as beautifully as any of the greats. This is rivals to lovers done perfectly.
Part of Your World
Every ingredient in this book is intentional and the result is a masterpiece that should be held up as an example of the best this genre has to offer.
Gravity
The pining! The angst! This book was so beautifully emotional that I experienced the physical sensation of my heart being wrenched. Give me all the French affirmations of love.
Losers Part 1 & Losers Part 2
This is my favourite character-driven, found-family story of all time. It’s also a why-choose romance (aka 5 lovers who all choose one another) and has Carolina Reaper levels of spice. All of which is to say it is magnificent but not for that faint of heart if you’re wary of heat in your romances.
P.S.
If you live in the UK, you can click here to shop the whole list at once. Perhaps you can see this if you live elsewhere. I dunno. I’m still figuring out the intricacies of international affiliate links ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Well you finally convinced me to order the Folk of the Air set! I’ve been eyeing Cruel Prince for a long time and just went for the whole set!